[71] It will be seen in several cases that, unlike the A. L. A, rules, they are designed for a library that has no subject catalogue.
MR. DEWEY’S RULES FOR A CARD CATALOGUE.
- Mr. Dewey’s Rules for a card
catalogue, printed in No. 2 of the Library notes,
pp. 111–124, and reprinted as Columbia catalog rules,
Boston, 1888, and again as Library School rules,
Boston, 1889, “except for the enlargements, differ
from the A. L. A. rules,” he says, “only in the
following points:
- We enter always under real name, omitting the exception that some books may go under pseudonyms. [Not Eliot, G., but Lewes or Cross.] (1e
- We follow the rule recommended as best in Cutter’s rules No. 40, putting under the name of the place local and municipal societies, though the corporate name may not begin with that word. (1s
- We give cities in their vernacular form instead of in English. [Wien, not Vienna.] (2f
- We do not capitalize common nouns in German, but follow the rule of the Library of Congress. [Wahrheit und dichtung.] (5m
- We give place and date at the end of the imprint entries instead of after edition, thus following the L. A. U. K. and Bodleian rules, the A. L. A. minority report, and the Library of Congress in putting those most important items in the most prominent place, instead of burying them back of minor items.
- We give edition in English rather than in the language of the title, [Ed. 2, not 2e Aufl.] (4c
- We use Arabic figures for all numerals, unless Roman are used on the title after names of rulers and popes.” [Charles 1, Leo 13.] (9b
APPENDIX II.
REPORT OF THE TRANSLITERATION COMMITTEE.
[See § [36]. This Report was made to the American Library Association in 1885, and printed in the Proceedings of the Lake George Conference, and in the Library journal, 10: 302–8.]
In determining the principles of transliteration it must be remembered that a catalogue is not a learned treatise intended for special scholars, and bound to an erudite consistency, at whatever cost of convenience. It is simply a key to open the doors of knowledge to a partly ignorant and partly learned public, and it is very important that such a key should turn easily. A good catalogue, therefore, will be a compromise between the claims of learning and logic on the one hand, and of ignorance, error, and custom on the other. Speaking generally, that form of name must be chosen with which people now are, and in the future will be, most familiar. This reference to the future is important. The catalogue must not be in advance of its age; but, on the other hand, it will not be well that it should be behind the next generation. If, therefore, there is an evident current of progress in any direction the makers of the catalogue will do well to be a little before the present practice, in the hope that the world will soon catch up with them, not to pass them before the catalogue itself has been superseded by another. The larger the catalogue, therefore, and the less likely to be soon reprinted, the more may it venture to be ahead of the times. Nevertheless the maker will do well to remember that the future is very uncertain.
One evident current of progress there is,—in favor of adopting the continental value of the vowels, representing the ou sound, for instance, not by ou nor by oo (as does Dr. Thomas), but by u; writing, therefore, Butan, not Boutan, nor Bootan, Turgenef and not Tourgueneff; using also a and not ah for the sound of a in father, papa (I speak as a New Englander); using the i for the English e sound; and giving what are unfortunately called the corresponding short sounds by doubling the following consonant; thus Nānā would be spelt with one n, but Nanny with two. This tendency, which has been gathering strength for some time, has at last received the sanction of an influential body, the Royal Geographical Society, and can be followed with safety.
The following notes are taken mostly from Mr. Heilprin’s articles in the Nation:
1. For ancient Greek names use the Latin forms, e. g., Homerus not Homeros, Plato not Platon, Philippus not Philippos. But where two forms are in common use choose that which is nearest the Greek.